Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-02-03

tallic phrases of the commonwealth he rep
resented.
SO that in a few moments the black, curly
head of the little artist and the white, flowing
locks of the senator were close together bend
ing over the rack that contained the engrav-
ings 1t was then that Carmen, listening to
a graphic description of the early rise of art
in the Netherlands, forgot herself and put her
shawl around her head, holding its folds in
her little brown hand. In this situation they
were, at different times during the next two
hours, interrupted by five congressman, three
senators, cabinet officer and a judge OF the
supreme bench-each of whom was quickly
but courteously dismissed. Popular sentl-
ment, however, broke out in the hall.
well I'm blanked, but this gets me- (The
speaker was territorial delegate)
"At this time o. life, too, lookin' over pic
lures with a gal young enough to be his
grandchild." This from venerable official,
since suspected of various erotic irregular
ities)
"She don't handsome any," Ghe honorable
member from Dakota)
This accounts for his prOtracted silence
during the sessions" "a serious colleague
from the senator's own state)
"Oh, blank it all.' (Omnes.)
-Four went home to tell their wives There
are few things more touching in the matri-
moIial compact than the superb frankneSs
with which each contdes to each the various
irregularities of their friends. 1t is upon
these sacred condolences that the firm founda-
tions of marriage rest mistaken.
OF course the objects of this comment, at
least one of them, were quite oblivious. Il
trust" said Carmen, timidly, when they had
for the fourth time regarded in rapt admira-
ton an abominable something by some Dutch
woodchopper, Il trust | am not keeping you
from your great friends"-her pretty eyelids
were cast down in tremulous distress-"I
should never forgive myself. Perhaps 1t is
important business of the state:'
"Oh dear. mol They will come again-it's
their business"
The senator meant it kindly. 1t was as near
the perilous edge of a compliment as your
average cultivated Boston man ever ventures,
and Carmen picked it up, femininely, by its
sentimental end. "And suppose l shall not
trouble you again!"
81 shall always be proud to place the port
folio at your disposal. Command me at any
time," said the senator, with dignity.
"You are kind. You are good" said Car
men, "and IL am bullock you-only
poor girl from California, that you know
not"
"Pardon me, / know your country we'll"
And indeed he could have told her the exact
number of bushels of wheat to the acre in her
own county of Monterey, its voting popula-
ton, its political bias. Yet of the more i'm
portant product before him, after the manner
of book read men, he knew nothing
Carmen was astonished, but respectful 1t
transpired presently that she was not aware
of the rapid growth of the silkworm in her
own district, knew nothing of the Chinese
question, and very little of the American
mining laws. Upon these questions the SEN
ator enlightened her fully. "Your name is
historic, by the way" he said pleasantly
There was Knight of Alcantara, de
Haro, one of the emigrants with La Casas"
Carmen nodded her head quickly. "Yes;
my great-great-g great grandfather"
The senator stared
"Oh, yes. | am the niece of Victor Castro,
who married my fathers sister"
"The Victor Castro of the Blue Mass
mines" asked the senator abruptly.
Yes" she said quietly.
Had the senator been of the Gashwiler type
he would have expressed himself, after the
average masculine fashion, by a long drawn
whistle. But his only perceptible apprecia-
tion of a sudden astonishment and sucpicion
in his mind was a lowering of the social
thermometer of the room SO decided that poor
Carmen looked up innocently, chilled and
drew her shawl closer around her shoulders
Il have something more to ask" said
Carmen, hanging her head-"it is a great, oh,
a very great favor"
TO BE CONTINU